Happiness Is (Taking Back Sunday album)
| Happiness Is | ||||
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| Studio album by Taking Back Sunday | ||||
| Released | March 18, 2014 | |||
| Recorded | June–August 2013 | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock, pop rock | |||
| Length | 40:58 | |||
| Label | Hopeless | |||
| Producer | Marc Jacob Hudson, Mike Sapone | |||
| Taking Back Sunday chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Happiness Is | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Aggregate scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 71/100 |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| Alternative Press |  |
| DIY | |
| Punknews.org | |
| Revolver | |
| USA Today | |
Happiness Is is the sixth studio album by American rock band Taking Back Sunday, released on March 18, 2014 through Hopeless Records. The album, produced by Marc Jacob Hudson and Mike Sapone, is the second consecutive album to feature the band's revived lineup of vocalist Adam Lazzara, guitarist/vocalist John Nolan, guitarist Eddie Reyes, bassist Shaun Cooper and drummer Mark O'Connell.
The band frequently played "Flicker, Fade" and "Beat Up Car" during their So Sick tour in late 2013, but refrained from playing any other new material live before the album's release. The album's title, artwork and release date were announced on January 14, 2014, alongside the release of its first single "Flicker, Fade". A music video for "Flicker, Fade", directed by DJay Brawner, was released on January 28. A music video for "Stood a Chance", directed by Evan Brace, premiered on March 5. "Stood a Chance" was released as the album's second single to alternative radio stations on March 18. The album was available for streaming through Pandora Radio and YouTube on March 10.
A B-side, titled "How I Met Your Mother" was uploaded to the Hopeless Records YouTube channel on the day of the album's release.
On November 18, 2014 Hopeless Records announced they would be re-issuing the album on February 24, 2015. The re-issue titled Happiness Is: The Complete Recordings, includes three new songs and three acoustic versions. A music video was released for "Better Homes and Gardens" on May 18, 2015; the video was directed by DJay Brawner.
Happiness Is received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 71, based on 9 reviews. This indicates the release garnered "generally favorable reviews". At USA Today, Edna Gunderson rated the album three stars out of four, concluding that "Warmth and wit almost compensate for a lack of distinction and the loss of punk sting." Scott Heisel of Alternative Press rated the album three-and-a-half stars out of five, stating that the release is a good one: however, "Unfortunately, a 'good' record just isn't good enough anymore." At Revolver, Jonah Bayer rated the album four stars out of five, writing that the release is facilitating the band in "getting their groove back" with the original lineup. Sarah Jamieson of This Is Fake DIY rated the album three stars out of five, and according to her the release is "just a little more grown up." At AllMusic, Gregory Heaney rated the album four stars out of five, stating that the release "shows that they've honed their skills, creating a beautifully crafted, well-constructed album that feels like more than merely a collection of songs, but rather an album full of soaring builds and heartbreaking collapses that lends credence to the notion that the best things come to those who wait."
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